Suction or fluid pressure gutter cleaning apparatus, including a fluid reversing valve



Dec. 30, 1952 BROWN 2,623,234

SUCTION oR FLUID PRESSURE GUTTER CLEANING APPARATUS, INCLUDING A FLUID REVERSING VALVE Filed Oct. 25, 1950 2 SHEETSSHEET 1 ATMQJPH'ERE FIE.2

INVENTOR 191. V//\/ .Z'. Bkon N BY /WR.MA

ATTORNEY A. I. BROWN E GUTTER CLEANING APPARATUS, I

2,623,234 NCLUDING Dec. 30, 1952 SUCTION OR FLUID PRESSUR A FLUID REVERSING VALVE 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed Oct. 25, 1950 v INVENTOR- Au w I KOWN BY W M ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 30, 1952 UNITED STATES OFFICE SUCTION OR FLUID PRESSURE GUTTER CLEANING APPARATUS, INCLUDING A FLUID REVERSING VALVE 3 Claims. 1

iihis invention relates to cleaning apparatus, and more particularly to portable suction or fluid pressure apparatus for cleaning gutters and downspouts.

A main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved suction or fluid pressure cleaning apparatus particularly suitable for cleaning gutters and downspouts, said apparatus being very simple in construction, involving only a few parts, being easy to operate, and being operable by a single person.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved gutter and downspout cleaning apparatus which is relatively inexpensive to manufactors, which may be employed with oonventional suction and fluid pressure sources, and which may be folded to a very compact condition when not in use.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved gutter and downspout cleaning apparatus of the fluid pressure type, said apparatus being very light in weight, being sturdy in construction, and enabling a person standing on the ground to reach a gutter or the inlet to a downspout from below and to eiiectively clean the gutter or downspout with a minimum amount of labor and in a short period of time.

Further objects and advantages of th inven tion will become apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational View, partly in vertical cross section, of a cleaning tool employed with an improved apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view showing the fluid pressure system used with the present in-- vention.

Figure 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional detail view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical cross-sectional view taken through the reversing valve employed with the cleaning tool of Figure 1, said view being taken on line 4-6 of Figure 5.

Figure 5 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to Figures 1, 2 and 3, I I designates a cleanin tool forming part of the apparatus of the present invention, said tool comprising a plurality of conduit sections, shown for example at i2, it, it and It, telescopically arranged with respect to each other, the end section it being formed with a reverse bend, shown at [5, defining a hook-like nozzle adapted to be engaged from below over the sid edge of a typical gutter, shown in cross-secticn at it. As shown in Figure 1, the section it fits slidably inside the next section i3, and the section 83 fits slidably inside a following section, shown at it. Additional telescoping sections may be provided, the end telescoping section being shown at 12. ihe section It is provided adjacent the reverse bend it with a flange [8, rigidly secured thereto. The end of the section 53 has secured thereto a collar member is which is adapted to abut the flange it when the section is is telescoped inside the section it. Secured to the end of the section It is a collar 25 which cooperates with the collar E9 to prevent withdrawal of the section M from the section Threaded through the end portion of the section It is a wing screw 2! which is received in an opening in the collar 28 to lock thesection i i in extended position with respect to the sec tion it. Alternatively, the wing screw 2i may extend through an opening in the section 53 and may be threaded into the collar 28.

The end of the section i3 which is received in the following section ii is provided with a r collar 253, and the end of the section it is provided with a stop flange or collar l9 adapted to prevent withdrawal of the section it from the section I? by the abutment of th collar 20' therewith. The member is may be telescoped into the section ll, the insertion of said member l3 into said section it being limited by the engagement of the flange or collar is of section [3 with the flange or collar It of the section H. The wing screws 29 and 2 l are of course removed when the sections are telescoped together.

The ends of the respective telescoping sections are respectively provided with collars and flanges similar to the collars 2t and flanges is, andare secured in extended positions by means of wing screws similar to the wing screw 2!.

Detachably secured to the mouth portion of th reversely bent end of the section M, as by wing screws 22, is a sleeve member 23, the wing screws 22 passing through apertures in the sleeve member and being threaded into the end portion of the reversely bent nozzle member I 5. Secured inside the sleeve member 23 is an annular ring 24 to which are secured the dependin brush tufts 25.

The lowermost section of th cleaning tool, designated at I2, carries at its bottom end a reversing valve, shown at 25, which is connected to a blower, as will be subsequently described. Section l2 has rigidly secured thereto at its upper portion a handle 21, and the reversing valve 26 .36 to the atmosphere through the port 31.

is formed with another handle 28, whereby the tool may be held with both hands by a single operator. As shown in Figure 1, a screen 29 is secured in the section I2, said screen being located a short distance above the reversing valve 26, and a hinged door 39 is provided in the section l2 immediately above the screen 29, whereby access may be had to said screen for cleaning the screen or removing large particles of debris therefrom. The door is provided with a suitable latch, whereby the door may be normally locked in closed position, and whereby said door may be opened by releasin its latch.

The cleaning tool is connected through the reversing valve 26 to a suitable blower, such as a conventional vacuum cleaner blower of the tank or other equivalent type, in a manner whereby either positive or negative pressure may be provided at the nozzle of the tool. The arrangement of the reversing valve is such that if the operator merely holds the handles 21 and 28, positive pressure will be available at the nozzle end of the cleaning tool, namely, the blower will deliver an air blast at said nozzle end of the tool and said blast will be utilized to loosen accumulated materials in a gutter, or to blow out materials loosened by the brushing action produced when the bristles 25 are drawn along the inside surface of the gutter. Under certain conditions however, it is necessary to use suction, or negative pressure, at the nozzle in order to bodily remove large objects, such as leaves, or the like, from the gutter to effect the clearing of downspout openings and the like. The reversing valve 26 is arranged so that by a simple manipulation thereof, reversed pressure may be made available at the nozzle of the tool.

Figure 2 shows diagrammatically the arrangement of the source of fluid pressure, shown at 3|, said source being, as above described, a conventional blower such as a vacuum cleaner tank. The blower 3! is connected by respective conduits 32 and 33 to the reversing valve, the conduit 32 being connected to the high pressure, or outlet, port of the blower, and the conduit 33 being connected to the low pressure, or inlet, port of the blower. The reversing valve 26 has four ports or connections, shown respectively at 34, 35, 36 and 31. The connection 35 is in communication with the cleaning tool, the connection 34 is in communication with the outlet port of the blower 3| through the conduit 32, the connection 36 is in communication with the inlet port of the blower 3| through the conduit 33, and the port 31 communicates with the atmosphere. As shown diagrammatically in Figure 2, the valve 26 is provided with a rotary or movable duct element, in-

- dicated at 38, formed with the respective passages 39 and 4B. As shown in Figure 2, the passage 39 normally connects the port 34 to the port 35, and the passage 49 normally connects the port It will be obvious from Figure 2 that in the normal position of the valve, positive pressure will be applied to the gutter being cleared, from blower 3| through conduit 32, the port 34, the passage 39, the port 35 and the cleaning tool M. It will be further obvious that when the rotary member 38 is rotated 90 degrees clockwise, as viewed in Figure 2, the cleaning tool is connected by the passage 39 to the port 36 and the port 34 is connected by the passage 4!] to the atmospheric connection 37, whereby negative pressure is made available at the nozzle of the cleaning tool.

Referring now to Figures 4 and 5, it will be seen 4 that the valve 26 comprises a main housing 4| which has a generally rectangular main body rigidly connected to the lower end of the tubular section l2, said main body having integrally secured thereto a laterally extending hollow portion 42 which terminates in the handle 28. Designated at 43 is a drum-like casing which is rigidly secured inside the housing 4| by the respective conduit elements 35, 36, 3'! and 34 secured thereto at 90 degree intervals around the periphery of the casing, as shown in Figure 4. The conduit 35 is connected to the interior of the section |2 by an upwardly flaring conduit element 44. Rotatably mounted inside the casing 43 is the drum member 45 which carries the respective conduit members 39 and 40 previously mentioned in connection with Figure 2. Secured axially to the drum member 43 is a shaft element 46 which extends rotatively through a side wall of the casing 43 and is rotatively supported in the side wall of housing 4|. Rigidly secured on shaft element 46 is a disk 41, said disk having secured at the marginal portion a pin member 48, which is connected by a spring 49 to an apertured lug 50 provided on the bottom wall of the housing 4 Designated at 5| is a lever which is pivoted at 52 in the side walls of the hollow portion 42. Secured to the end of the lever 5| is a cable 53 which passes over respective pulleys 54 and 55 rotatively mounted inside the hollow portion 42 and the housing 4| in the manner shown in Figure 5, the end of the cable 53 being connected to the pin 48. The spring 49 biases the disk All to the position thereof shown in Figure 4, wherein the lever 5| and the end of the cable secured thereto extend substantially tangential to the pulley 54. In this position the conduit member 39 registers respectively with the port elements 34 and 35, and the conduit element 40 registers respectively with the port elements 36 and 31. In this position positive pressure is applied at the nozzle of the cleaning tool in view of the arrangement shown in Figure 2. By rotating the lever 5| clockwise to the dotted line position shown in Figure 4, the pin member 48 may be brought to a position wherein its radius with respect to the axis of the shaft member 46 is tangential in direction with respect to the pulley 55. The pulley 55 is located so that the radius of pin 48 with respect to the shaft element 46 becomes tangential to said pulley as a result of a degree rotation clockwise, as viewed in Figure 4, around the axis of the shaft element. When the lever member 5| i released, the spring 49 returns the disk member 41 and the drum element 45 to their full lines positions of Figure 4, wherein the lever 5| is directed tangentially with respect to the pulley 54. It will thus be seen that the drum member 45 may be rotated from one limiting position thereof, shown in full line view in Figure 4, to a second limiting position thereof, wherein the radius of the pin 48 with respect to its rotational axis is directed tangentially to the pulley 55. In one position the conduit members 39 and 49 are arranged in the manner shown in Figure 4, so as to provide positive fluid pressure at the nozzle of the cleaning tool, and in the second position said conduit elements 39 and 49 are arranged so as to provide negative pressure, or suction, at the nozzle of the cleaning tool. The operator of the apparatus may quickly change over from positive pressure to negative pressure by applying pulling force on the lever 5| to swing it from its full line position, shown in Figure 4, to its dotted line position. Therefore, the operator may change from positive pressure to negative pressure at the nozzle of the cleaning tool merely by exerting a pull on the lever moving said lever as far as it will go clockwise. as viewed in Figure l, and, when negative pressure is no longer required, the operator merely releases the lever, allowing the parts to return to the positions thereof shown in full line view in Figure l. The above reversal of pressure at the nozzle is accomplished without requiring the operator to change his grip on the cleaning tool, inasmuch as the lever 5! may be manipulated by the fingers of the hand of the operator engaged on the handle 23.

As shown in Figure 5, the respective pulleys 5 s and 55 are mounted on pins 56' and 55' secured in the side wall of the housing ll and hollow section 52, and the lever 5! is supported on a transverse pin member 52 and retained in the same plane as the pulleys 5d and 55 by respective spacer sleeves 50 and iii mounted on the transverse pin member 52.

While a specific embodiment of an improved gutter cleaning apparatus has been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A gutter cleaning apparatus of the character described comprising an elongated rigid conduit having a reverse bend at one end defining a nozzle adapted to be engaged from below over the side edge of a gutter, a first handle, means rigidly securing said handle to the other end of the conduit in laterally projecting relation to the conduit, a second handle secured to the conduit adjacent said first handle, whereby an operator may support the conduit in upright position by graspin said handles with both hands, and a fluid reversing valve connected to said other end of the conduit, said reversing valve comprising a housing provided with a port leading to the conduit, with additional ports adapted to be connected to a source of suction and to a source of air under pressure, respectively, and with a movable duct element adapted to selectively connect said first-named port to either of said additional ports, said duct element having an operating member extending adjacent the first handle and arranged to be actuated by the hand of the operator grasping said first handle, whereby the direction of fluid fiow through the conduit may be reversed without requiring the operator to release his grip on said handles.

2. A gutter cleaning apparatus of the character described comprising an elongated rigid conduit, one end of said conduit being formed with a reverse bend defining a nozzle adapted to be engaged from below over the side edge of a gutter, a reversing valve connected to the other end of said conduit and comprising a housing provided with a port leading to the conduit, with additional ports adapted to be connected to a source of suction and to a source of air under pressure, respectively, and with a movable duct element adapted to selectively connect said first-named port to either of said additional ports, whereby said valve is arranged to control the direction of flow of fluid through said other end, a handle, means rigidly securing said handle to said other end in laterally projecting relation thereto, said reversing valve being provided with an operating lever connected to said duct element and extend.- ing adjacent said handle, a screen secured in said other end above the reversing valve, and a closure member provided in said other end above the screen and arranged to at times provide access to the screen.

3. A gutter cleaning apparatus of the character described comprising an elongated conduit consisting of a plurality of telescopically arranged tubular sections, means locking the tubular sections in extended relation with respect to each other, the section at one end being reversely bent and defining a nozzle adapted to be engaged from below over the side edge of a gutter, a centrally apertured brush secured to the free end of said reversely bent section, a first handle, means rigidly securing said handle to the tubular conduit section at the other end of the conduit in laterally projecting relation to said last-named conduit section, a second handle secured to said last-named tubular section and spaced from the first handle, whereby an operator may support the conduit in upright position by grasping said handles with both hands, and a fluid reversing valve connected to said last-named tubular section, said reversing valve comprising a housing provided with a port leading to the last-named conduit section, with additional ports adapted to be connected to a source of suction and to a source of air under pressure, respectively, and with a movable duct element adapted to selectively connect said first-named port to either of said additional ports, said duct elementhaving an operating member extending adjacent the first handle and arranged to be actuated by the hand of the operator grasping said first handle, whereby the direction of fluid flow through the conduit may be reversed without requiring the operator to release his grip on said handles.

ALVIN I. BROWN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,012,195 English Dec. 19, 1911 1,217,817 Peters Feb. 27, 1917 1,658,311 Tonso Feb. '7, 1928 1,748,853 Squires Feb. 25, 1930 2,203,088 Hansson June 4, 1940 2,321,231 Missmer June 8, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 133,778 Austria June 10, 1933 294,961 Great Britain Jan. 31, 1929 485,551 Great Britain May 20, 1938 

